Lamont Peterson secures points win over Felix Diaz
Sunday 18 October 2015 16:43, UK
Lamont Peterson claimed victory on his return to the ring with a majority points win over Felix Diaz at the EagleBank Arena in Virginia on Saturday night.
The former IBF light welterweight champion, competing for the first time since his split decision defeat to Danny Garcia in April, won the catchweight 143lbs non-title contest with scores of 117-111 and 116-112 from two of the judges. The other judge scored it a 114-114 draw.
Peterson enjoyed success during the early rounds, landing with a clean right cross in the second having forced Diaz onto the ropes. The 31-year-old continued to press, dictate the pace in the third and remained out of serious danger when Diaz attempted to assert himself on the fight.
Diaz, however, did assert himself in the fourth, drawing Peterson in and countering him with superb combination punching. Peterson's early success drained away and as the rounds wore on he failed to adapt to Diaz's counter punching.
The Dominican Republican, unbeaten coming into the fight, remained the fresher fighter in the latter rounds and landed with a left uppercut in the ninth which rocked Peterson. The American would respond however, a flurry body punches ensuring the round was difficult to score.
Diaz continued to pressurise Peterson in the final round and landed with a number of unanswered shots. Despite this, the judges controversially ruled in favour of Peterson and handed Diaz the first defeat of his career.
